plug-in is started.  After exiting the plug-in, the manager is   
   reloaded in the same configuration.  It is very useful for viewers or   
   players.   
      
            - - - - - - - - - -   
      
   CF:  Is all the credit for this device down to yourself, or do you have a   
   team of designers and programmers?   
      
   TP:  As I said, the IDE64 was developed by a team with Josef and Jan, who   
   helped me with hardware and Josef developed original IDE64 software.  We   
   would like to thank all the people who helped us with developing IDE64,   
   first of all Kajtar Zsolt (Soci/Singular) from Hungary, who has optimized   
   and debugged IDE64 firmware, did new IDE64 firmware V.9x and maintains   
   webpage warez.ide64.org.  He has a good deal to do with the present state   
   of the IDE64 project.  We would like to give thanks to Sidney Arbouw from   
   the Netherlands (Arcane) who fixed a lot of games for IDE64.  Not forgeting   
   all the IDE64 users, who got an IDE64 during the long period of this   
   project.   
      
            - - - - - - - - - -   
      
   CF:  Do you have plans for any other Commodore hardware?   
      
   TP:  We have started a new project called CPU64, which will make your C64   
   faster, give your C64 more memory, new peripherals and will be very   
   flexible.  At the heart of it is a FPGA chip which implements cycle exact   
   (with original simple pipelining) 6510 CPU core with 24 bit address bus   
   plus new powerful instructions for better addressing.  The CPU speed can be   
   linearly changed from 1MHz up to 18MHz.  It contains 1MB basic RAM memory   
   which can be expanded up to 16MB, 512kB of PEROM memory, an RTC chip, a USB   
   device controller and Short Bus.  The USB device controller will make   
   simple and faster connection to PC (PClink) and allow you to upgrade the   
   firmware from a PC.  Because FPGA is configured from PEROM memory, it will   
   be very easy to add new features to the CPU core.  We have planned VCU (VIC   
   control unit) core, which will implement advanced graphic modes like FLI or   
   interlaced modes without using the CPU.  VCU will be programmable in   
   assembler with special instructions for exact timing.  Other planned   
   projects I should mention that we would like to make are a USB host   
   controller for Short Bus which will allow us to use devices like USB disks   
   or wireless LAN (WiFi) or even BlueTooth communication.   
      
            - - - - - - - - - -   
      
   CF:  How would someone interested go about buying this hardware?   
      
   TP:  Best way is to contact distributors like GO64!  Protovision, Modernity   
   Grp., C64Hardware or you can contact us directly.   
      
            - - - - - - - - - -   
      
   CF:  Is the hardware upgradeable or do users need to buy the new interface   
   when its developed if so what is the reason?   
      
   TP:  IDE64 hardware can not be directly upgraded, but it has only small   
   changes during its lifetime.  The biggest upgrade was the addition of the   
   Compact Flash connector, but users without this connector can use simple   
   reduction from IDE bus to Compact Flash via an adaptor.   
      
            - - - - - - - - - -   
      
   CF:  I know I spoke to you about a USB interface; could you give us a sneak   
   preview of what we can expect?   
      
   TP:  The USB interface has two modes, host and device.  You can connect   
   many devices to one host.  There may not be more than one host on the USB   
   bus.  We need both modes.  When you want to connect a USB device to the   
   C64, you must have the host controller.  When you want to connect C64 as a   
   device to PC (PClink) you need device controller because PC has only host   
   controllers.  We have planned both these functions on one board, but not at   
   the same time.  Host/device controller can be switched by jumper.  Because   
   USB is very fast for C64 we will implement only the slower specification   
   1.1 which operates in Full Speed mode at 12Mbps or in Low Speed mode at   
   1.5Mbps.  I do not know at this time if USB64 will operate only with the   
   CPU64 or not.  USB will be connected to Short Bus.  As I said, CPU64 will   
   have device USB controller for PClink and simple upgrading firmware.   
      
            - - - - - - - - - -   
      
   CF:  I think it's time to plug your website www.ide64.org .The site seems   
   to be updated quite frequently with firmware updates and fixes.  How much   
   of your time does his take?   
      
   TP:  We are developing this website from the beginning of the project   
   continuously.  Now we are presenting the news on news.ide64.org and   
   warez.ide64.org   
      
   This article was originally in Commodore Scene magazine in 2004 and was   
   compiled by Nigel Parker and Andrew Fisher for Commodore Scene magazine   
      
      
      
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